A Lucky Day Of Misfortune
by ambisinistrous-and-asinine
Summary: A Joime-ish StarKid fic: Jaime Lyn Beatty and Joey Richter are now married with a child. But sooner rather than later something will happen that will put all three of their lives on the line. And they don't know if they can get out of it or not.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Sitting in the shade was much cooler than out there in the hot sun where Joey was playing with Chloe. He was sweating. But Jaime was too tired from last night to be out there with their daughter. The previous night, Chloe had woken Jaime upon having a nightmare, and crawled into bed next to her. Jaime hadn't gotten much sleep after that. Joey slept through it somehow, so today it was him who got to play with Chloe during their weekly visit to the park that Chloe loved. Even though it was an hours' drive, they managed to go every Saturday, for Chloe. 'For Chloe' seemed to have become her motto, for everything she did, she did with the reasoning that she was doing it for her daughter. This included things like going to Disneyland with Darren, but also things like spending hundreds of dollars on clothes when she and Lauren went shopping. Because of Chloe, Jaime and Joey didn't get to spend as much time together as they'd like, as they used to. And especially now that they both had part-time jobs; this new life had taken some time to getting used to, but after five years they were well adjusted. Jaime saw Chloe running towards her with something in her hand.

"Mummy, Mummy!" she squealed, "Look what I found!"

She unfolded her hand to reveal a golden four-leaf clover necklace pendant.

"Ooh, that's very pretty isn't it?" Jaime said, "Where'd you score that, beautiful girl?"

"It was in the dirt next to the slide," the five-year old replied.

"Really? Well how about you give that to me, and go back to Daddy and tell him we're leaving now because it's almost time for dinner, okay?"

"Okay."

Chloe sprinted off back to Joey and Jaime stood up, put the pendant in her pocket and picked up her bag as Joey climbed off the playground and he and Chloe joined her.

"Did you have fun in the heat?" Jaime teased.

"Oh yeah, and I wouldn't mind coming back tomorrow when it's meant to be even hotter," Joey replied, the sarcasm thick in his voice.

When they got to the car, Jaime strapped Chloe in her child seat in the back, and then got into the driver's seat.

They'd been driving for half an hour when they got to the bridge they always had to cross; thankfully there wasn't much traffic. They were driving when suddenly Jaime saw a black four-wheel drive speeding down the opposite direction. The driver had obviously misjudged themselves and crashed into the car in front them. Jaime slammed her foot on the breaks. Another car from behind them, probably also speeding, didn't stop soon enough and crashed into their car, causing it to spin. A series of unfortunate events then occurred, as car after car swerved and turned and crashed, and the small car that contained Jaime, Joey and Chloe got pushed off the bridge into the water below.

The car was sinking. The top of the car went underwater, and Chloe was too young to swim, especially so far to where the shore was. There was no way out, they were stuck. Stuck in a car, sinking in the river. With no way out. The water had started to fill the car, and Jaime reached into the back seat, unstrapped Chloe and pulled her into the front with her and Joey. She was so young, hadn't even started school yet. And she was going to die. All three of them were going to die. It was over.

"Chloe," Jaime said, tears threatening, "You know Mummy loves you, don't you? I love you so much, baby, so much."

She looked at Joey. They had only been married for five years, been together for only seven, and now they were going die together. With their young daughter. This was not how they had planned this fan family day out to end.

"I love you, Joey Richter. My sexy hair." She reached over and stroked his hair, then his cheek.

"I love you, too, my Jaime Lyn Richter," he replied, "I love you, too. And you, my other beautiful girl. I love you so much."

"I love you Mummy and Daddy," Chloe said.

Jaime held Chloe tight as her thoughts drifted to the people she would miss the most: Lauren, Meredith, Darren, Brian, Joe. And her family – her mother and father, and her sister, Ebony, who she hardly ever saw after she moved in with Joey. None of them would ever know what happened to her. Or any of them, for that matter. They would have just disappeared.

Joey was watching Jaime, and a tear rolled down his cheek as he thought of their friends and family who would miss them.

"Jaime," he whispered, "Ring someone."

Jaime turned to look at him, "Okay," she said. She took her phone out of her pocket and unlocked it. She knew who to call.

Miles and miles away in Ann Arbor, a middle aged woman with sparkling blue eyes picked up her phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

Jaime had never been happier to hear her mother's voice.

"Mum?"

Jaime's mum could tell instantly that something was wrong.

"Jaime? What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing, I-I'm fine," she sniffled as the tears came, rolling down her cheeks. Chloe looked up at Jaime and watched her mother crying and talking.

"Where are you, Jaims?"

"I'm in the car, with J-Joey and Chloe. We just went out t-t-to the park and we were just heading home."

"Jaime, are you crying, baby?"

"I'm fine, Mum, really, I just-"

She put the phone away from her ear to sob into Chloe's hair.

"I'm fine," she said into the phone once she had composed herself, "I was just ringing to tell you that I-I love you, Mum, I love you so much and I never te-tell you. And I know... after Joey came into my life we never really got along, and I know y-you used to yell at me for wearing short skirts and staying out late and not doing as well in school as I c-could have done, but I know now that it was a-all for my own good... and I just wanted to say... thank you, Mum. Thank you for keeping me in line and telling me to change my clothes and telling me to do my homework and picking me up from the city at three in the morning. And thank you for all those times you grounded me because at least I know I learned my lesson, even if I did it again the next day, at least you grounded me because I know I did something wrong a-and I know I could have been a better daughter to you and I'm sorry, Mum, I am so, so sorry." Jaime's whole body shook as she cried and cried and cried. She already knew it was over but saying all of his to her mother just confirmed everything.

"And could you please do something for me, Mum, could you please? Could you tell Daddy, and tell Ebony that... that I love them and that I'm sorry for anything I might have done to hurt them. Can you do that for me, Mum?"

"Of course I can, baby," her mother replied, "Jaime... Baby can you tell me where you are?"

"I'm fine, Mum, please, I-"

Jaime felt the water around her waist and she looked at Joey.

"Goodbye, Mum."

"Jaime, don't you dare, don't you dare go, Jai-"

"I love you."

And she hung up. Joey took Chloe off of Jaime's lap and put her on his own. He leaned over to Jaime and kissed her soft and sweet on the lips.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you."

And Jaime closed her eyes as the car sank even deeper into the river, Joey's hand in hers.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - I don't know if you were expecting anymore chapters, but here is chapter 2! To Emzabug, I hope this chapter gives you even more feels ;) haha, enjoy! :D**

**- Jazzy xx.**

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CHAPTER TWO

The water was almost up to their shoulders and Joey was holding Chloe up high so she was out of the water as much as possible. Jaime and Joey kept their eyes on each other the whole time. Chloe was crying as well now, for she had realised that they weren't going anywhere. Jaime felt something poke her hand as is dangled at her side and went to investigate. She pulled out the clover pendant Chloe found. Four leaves, it had. That was meant to be lucky. Maybe it was a lucky pendant.

"Joey," Jaime said. He looked at her.

"How far down do you think we are?"

Joey looked at her knowingly, "Too far, so don't even go there."

"But, Joey, why ca-"

"There's no point, Jaime, we wouldn't make it!" he said looking away.

"Joey," she said softly, "Joey. Look at me. Look at me." When he did, she whispered, "For Chloe."

Joey blinked once, and looked up at their daughter, who had her eyes on her mother. He looked back at Jaime.

"Do it for Chloe," Jaime repeated.

"Chloe," he said.

"Yeah, come on, we're strong, we can do this, Joey Richter. We can do it for Chloe."

"For Chloe," he said, louder and more confidently this time.

"For Chloe!" Chloe piped up.

"Alright baby," Jaime sat up higher and spoke to Chloe, "You can hold your breath, can't you, gorgeous?"

"You mean like this?" Chloe sucked in a huge breath.

"Yes that is exactly what I mean," said Jaime, her voice confident. "Now you remember when we go to the pool how Daddy teaches you to kick your legs, well when I say 'go' I want you to take a deep breath and kick your legs more that you ever have before!"

"Okay, Mummy!" the little girl squealed.

"Joey, give her to me, we'll take turns holding her. We need to stay together, alright," Jaime said to her husband.

Chloe waded over to Jaime's side of the car and wrapped her tiny arms around her mother's neck.

"I love you, Mummy and Daddy."

"I love you, too, baby, and you ya big old goof."

Joey smiled back. "I love you both so much."

"Ready?" Jaime said, "Set," she put her hand on the door handle, ready to push, "GO!"

Simultaneously, the young family took a breath and pushed open the car doors and scrambled out. The pressure was immense and Jaime's head was burning. She held Chloe around the waist and they both kicked their legs furiously. As they swam a bit further, still with a comfortable amount of breath, Jaime could feel Joey next to her and his arms as he tried to take Chloe. She let him and continued to swim. The light signifying the surface was getting closer and brighter, but soon enough and Jaime was running out of breath, and she didn't know how Chloe would be coping. Jaime took Chloe back from Joey once more and he took her back again as they swam. Jaime was about to pass out from no oxygen when she felt the cool air hit her face as she met the surface of the water. Taking deep breaths, she turned around on the spot, looking for Joey and Chloe. But they weren't there.

"Joey!? Chloe?!"

Jaime dived under again and opened her eyes. The salt water stung, but through the blur she could make out that Joey was near, and Chloe's eyes were closed. She grabbed her daughter around the shoulders and took hold of Joey's hand, pulling them both up to the surface. Chloe's opened her eyes and gasped for breath as soon as Jaime pulled her up; Joey, however, didn't. His eyes stayed closed, and when Jaime put her face to his mouth to check for breathing, she found nothing.

"Joey? Joey!? Joey wake up, goddammit Joey, please!" she cried. "Clo, hop on Daddy's back." Her daughter obliged.

Jaime struggled to hold Joey up, kicking her legs with much force to keep all three of them afloat. Chloe started kicking, too, and Jaime was so thankful. She opened Joey's mouth and blew air into him, before pounding at his chest, then repeating and repeating.

"Joey!" she cried, struggling so much under the weight and her exhaustion. "Joey, please! Please, Joey, DON'T LEAVE ME! WAKE UP JOEY GODDAMMIT PLEASE WAKE UP!"

Literally kicking and screaming, she slammed her fist against his chest for the thirty-seventh time, and he finally coughed and spluttered, spitting out water and breathing heavily. Jaime almost collapsed under their combined weight, and once Joey was fully awake, he, too, began kicking.

They started to swim towards the shore, Chloe still on Joey's back, Jaime just behind them. They swam for what felt like years until Jaime began to really tire. She was already tired in the morning, plus she had to pull Joey and Chloe up to the surface, and then keep them both afloat while she revived Joey; Jaime was more exhausted than she had ever been before.

"Joey," she managed, almost out of breath, "Joey, I-I can't."

"Yes you can, Jaime, you most certainly can."

"No I can't, I'm so sorry, I-"

And her head went under. Joey told Chloe to take a breath as he dived under to pull Jaime back up. She spat water out and wiped her face.

"I'm sorry, Joey, Chloe."

"Jaime you stay here," said Joey, "Stay here... doggy-paddle, and I'm going to take Chloe to shore. You stay alive, alright." He quickly kissed her lips and swam off.

Jaime watched as the two things she loved most in the world got further and further away from her. Her body was aching, and she couldn't hold on much longer. Her kicking slowed, and she started to use her arms to keep her afloat. She could hardly keep her eyes open to see Joey get to the shore and place Chloe on the ground. Jaime couldn't hold on any longer. Her muscles were too tired and her breathing was uneven. Jaime opened her eyes fully and saw Joey standing at the edge of the water.

"I'm sorry, Joey Richter," she said as her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she went under the water once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, I'd just like to say thank you to Emzabug again for reviewing; happy endings? well... you'll just have to read on to find out!**

**ENJOY!**

**- Jazzy xx.**

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CHAPTER THREE

Jaime read somewhere that death was easier than life. She hoped it was, seeing as she was about to die. Drowning wasn't the way she thought she'd go, but things never are what you expect them to be. Jaime could hear Joey's voice calling out to her. _Did he die, too?_ She wondered. She longed to see him again. She felt arms around her, pulling at her, and she felt her body floating. This must be heaven, she thought, for she was with Joey, and anywhere with Joey must be heaven. And if this was heaven, this was death. Jaime hoped that Chloe survived, even though both of her parents were dead, she had so much to live for, so much she could do with her life. She was only five, after all. Jaime could still hear Joey saying her name.

Jaime, Jaime, Jaime.

Over and over and over again. She wanted to say something, call out to him, tell him she was here. She tried to talk but her mouth forbid it. She was too tired anyway. Jaime's memory came into play as she began to recall what had happened before she died. They were at the park, and she was watching Joey play with their daughter on the playground. How silly he looked up there on the slide, a 30 year old man with a bunch of children on a playground. Jaime remembered Chloe eating her lunch - a cheese and bacon roll - and dropping bits of bacon on the ground, then picking them up and eating them. Joey scolded her for that. Jaime remembered her wedding day, her white, floor-length gown, sleeveless and strapless, with flowered embroidery over the torso. It was a beautiful dress, and how sexy Joey looked in his tuxedo, god, she remembered wanting him right then and there on the chapel floor he looked so inviting. And she remembered finding out she was pregnant. Seemed like a lifetime ago. It was, in a way, now that she was dead. She could still hear Joey calling her, and it was starting to bug her now that she couldn't respond.

Jaime, Jaime, Jaime, he called, over and over.

_Joey!_ She wanted to shout out to him. _Joey, I'm here!_ She wanted to scream. Jaime suspected she was in a bathtub, or perhaps a swimming pool, as she could feel water at her fingertips, as her hand trailed through the cool liquid.

"Jaime," she heard Joey again, and the next voice that spoke surprised her.

"Mummy?"

Chloe. That was Chloe. Did she die too?

"Mummy? Are you dead, Mummy?"

"Chloe," that was Joey again, "Don't say that, you'll jinx it."

"What's that mean?"

"Shh..."

Jaime stirred and a noise escaped her throat, "Mmmm."

"Mama? Mama, it's me, Chloe! Your favourite daughter! Chloe Bonnie Richter!"

"Hush, Clo, let her be-"

"Shuddupjoey," Jaime complained. His arms were around her in a second.

"Oh, Jaime, you scared me to death! I thought I'd lost you!"

"What?"

"I thought you were dead."

"Aren't I dead? I thought I was dead. And I assumed the two of you were as well."

Joey laughed lightly. "You can get rid of me that easily."

"Oh, damn," she joked. "Wait, so we're all alive?"

Joey tapped each of them on the head as he spoke, "One, two, three, yup. All here."

Jaime sat up, but her head felt like her brain had been replaced by water and she felt dizzy.

"Woah, lie back down, Jaims," Joey lightly pushed her shoulders so she lay down again.

Jaime looked away from Joey at Chloe. Her brown hair was plastered to her face and her cheeks were slightly bluish. Jaime glanced around and took in her surroundings. They were lying on the dirt next to the bridge that they crossed. She looked up at the bridge and saw a pileup of cars, and sirens flashing. She closed her eyes as Joey put one arm under her neck supporting her head, and the other under her knees, picked her up and carried her bridal style. They walked down the road, Chloe holding Jaime's hand, for only a short while when they came to a bench. Joey sat Jaime down and felt in her pocket for her phone on the off chance that it had survived. He found it and pressed the 'on' button. No response. They decided to rest for a while, Chloe watching the cars pass.

One car stopped and the window rolled down, and there was none other than Darren Criss, pink sunglasses and all. He pulled up next to them and helped Chloe into the front seat while Joey clambered into the back seat with his wife. Darren didn't ask what happened; he just drove them to their house in the suburbs of LA and took them inside. Chloe was shivering, so Darren offered to dry her and he found her a change of clothes while Joey fixed up Jaime and tucked her into their bed. The bed was warm and soft, and Jaime quickly fell asleep. When she awoke, she had a mild headache and wet hair, and she was cold. She snatched up the blanket, wrapped it around herself and trudged downstairs to find Darren, Joey and Chloe sitting on the couch.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," said Chloe.

"Hey, you cheeky girl," Jaime replied, smiling at her daughter. "Hi, Darren. Thanks for picking us up."

"No problem, it was just luck that I decided to come visit you guys yesterday."

"Yesterday? Did I sleep all night?"

Joey nodded, "We nodded off for a few hours as well, but you fell asleep in the car, I think."

"Oh."

Jaime then realised that they'd lost their car, their phones and CDs, and whatever other junk they kept in the car. As if reading her mind, Darren reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Ruffling through it, he withdrew several notes and placed them on Joey's lap.

"No," Joey said immediately.

"Yes," Darren said back, "Yes you will take it. You're gonna need it."

Jaime took the money from Joey and put it in her pocket, "Thank you, Darren," she said.

The three Richter's retold the story of what happened to Darren, and after discussing what they would do from there, Darren decided to leave. As they bid him goodbye and waved him off, Chloe started crying. Jaime picked her up and said, "What's the matter, baby?"

"Mama... did we almost... die?" she said in between sniffles.

Jaime looked at Joey for help before saying, "Yes, honey. Yes we did. But you know what? We didn't die, did we? We're still here, aren't we? See? Everything's going to be okay now, sweetheart. Don't you worry, my baby girl, don't you worry your pretty little mind over anything because it's all over now, alright?"

"Alright, Mummy."

"That's a good girl. Now why don't you go and choose a movie for us to watch?" Jaime said, setting Chloe down.

She ran over to the TV in search of a DVD, while Jaime and Joey relaxed on the couch, his arm around her shoulders.

"Well then," said Joey, kissing the top of Jaime's head, "That was quite an experience."

"Ha, it was, wasn't it?" Jaime said, snuggling closer to him. "And I sincerely hope that it never happens again. We're just lucky we all survived and I don't think even Darren could afford to buy us another car. Imagine what would have happened if we had another child. Or," and she leaned in close to whisper in his ear, "If we had tried for another baby three months ago like we considered, and I was pregnant. God knows how it would have gone down!"

"Not well, I'd say."

Chloe put a movie in and turned the TV on, then came to snuggle in between her parents. Joey put one arm around her and Jaime held her hand. _Imagine if I was pregnant!_ Jaime thought. Chloe rested her head against her mother's stomach, and although neither Jaime nor Joey knew it yet, as far as Chloe could tell, or as far as she could feel, what made Jaime's efforts even more remarkable, was that there was another little someone on the way. They just didn't know it yet.

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**Anyway that's the end :) Please review; I take constructive criticism and even praise and use it to improve my writing and stories, so any sort of review would be appreciated, thanks!**

**I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe even spilled a few tears (probably not though, but if you did I'd like to know!). Thanks again :) xx.**


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